Bound to the Fallen (Prophecy #2) (15 page)

I mean, perfectly applied makeup just gives you that polished, professional look
.

I inserted the applicator back into the tube and tossed it down onto the marble sink.
A heavy sigh escaped my lips as I looked my reflection in the eyes.

Way to go
, Brooke. You’re obsessed with a ridiculously sexy surgeon… with a voice that oozes sex…who’s probably got a string of dumb girls fawning all over him. Way to control yourself.

Making
my way from the bathroom over to the bed, I shook my head and continued talking to myself; this time I verbalized my internal dialogue. “Obviously, I just want to have my heart stomped all over.”

I slipped my feet into a pair of red patent leather flats and stood up
, glancing at my reflection, again talking aloud to myself, “Yep, still have every intention of goin’ out with him and having drinks at some point.” Sighing again as I grabbed my purse, I made my way to the door.

Gavin

Staring at the ceiling,
I lay in the uncomfortable hotel bed, slightly unnerved at my inability to shake this woman from my head. I felt like she bewitched me: her movements, her face, those damn lips — all completely mesmerized me in a manner unfamiliar to me. I’d never
wanted, desired
a woman the way I did her, never. I was all too used to relationships based solely on sexual gratification, a mutual understanding that things would go no farther than the bedroom. I was used to trained women completely different than her.

There was a
feeling of uncertainty; she stirred a vulnerable feeling deep inside of me and I didn’t like it. I’d seriously debated putting my mouth on her! I wanted to taste her; the jeopardy of that in and of itself should have deterred my pursuing her.

I felt so out of control.

The thought of how dangerous the two of us getting involved could be crept into my mind, but I shoved the thought far away. Closing my eyes, I tried to force sleep, but sleep evaded me. I tossed and turned, thinking of the pale color that washed across her face when I told her, “I thought I may kiss you.”

I should’
ve kissed her, grabbed her by the back of her head and pulled her to me. Should’ve covered her mouth with mine and tasted her.

I released a sigh of agitation as I willed her to leave my thoughts,
to vanish from my mind so I could sleep. After another thirty minutes of lying there, I rose and dressed myself to leave the hotel. In order to grant myself peace I would have to appease the demon within me.

The bar was dark and
filled with thick clouds of smoke. The hum of conversation mixed with the music playing from the speakers, creating an almost hypnotic lull. I pushed my way through the crowd of men, ignoring the naked woman dancing on the stage. Each breath I blew out was tainted by a low growl from my frustration and need to get my control back. My eyes found the red-head behind the bar. The white butterfly marked on her neck caught my attention.

I leaned over the bar and whistled at her. Looking up, her lips pursed together and she set the glass she was drying down. Her hips swayed from side to side as she dodged the other bartenders frantically pouring and mixing drinks.

Placing her elbows on the bar top, she rested her chin in her palms. “Been a few years since you’ve been here. You here on business, Gavin?”

“You know me well.” I swallowed. “I’m not going to make it through this trip if I don’t get something to tame this craving.”

Her lips pushed up and she laughed. “I wouldn’t expect you to come here for any other reason.” She motioned with her finger for me to come with her. Snaking through the crowd, I followed her to a hallway and to the back of the bar. Her hand rested on the lock and she glanced back at me, narrowing both her eyes. “Still don’t kill ‘em?”

I shook my head. “No. I only want blood when I’m angry, and even then I won’t kill them.”

She shrugged and flipped the lock. “Suite yourself. Just make sure it’s locked when you leave.” Then she walked back out to the bar.

Opening the door, I immediately felt that control return to me.

“You’re here by choice, aye?” I called out into the dark room. My eyes adjusted and I could make out the silhouette of a woman cowering in the corner. “Woman. You’re here by choice?”

“Ye – yes, sir.”

Leaping across the room at her, I hissed, “That’s all I need to know.” Moments later my mouth was on her, my hands trying to calm her body as I sucked all knowledge of right and wrong from her.

The next morning I awoke feeling slightly more in control of myself, but still unable to completely shake the idea of Brooke from my mind.

Stepping off the elevator, I glanced around the lobby to see if I could spot Brooke. She was standing at a table filling out a name tag, and I walked in her direction. I held my phone up and pretended to read the screen; I wanted to appear completely disinterested. Just as I glanced up to make sure of her whereabouts she turned around. My gaze quickly fell back to my phone and I continued to walk straight ahead. I inched my stride to the right slightly and within a few steps my shoulder grazed hers.

“Sorry
‘bout that, Brooke,” I said, lowering my phone. “Wasn’t paying attention.” I stared at her. Her hair fell perfectly around her face; her full lips were coated with a shiny gloss.

“It’s okay
. I wasn’t paying attention either,” she said.

“So, where do they have you today?” I shoved my phone back in
to my pocket.

“Um, conference room B
.” She glanced up from her itinerary and smiled. “What about you?”

“Conference room A,” I paused
. “Maybe I’ll find you at lunch, aye?”

Her face
darkened to a deep red and her eyes widened. “Uh, yeah, maybe.” She turned away from me and found her way to the open doorway of the carpeted conference room.

I could tell she was slightly embarrassed at her reaction
and I reveled in it. The corner of my lips spread across my face as I watched her walk away.

I
approached the long table draped with a white table cloth to sign in. “Dr. Gavin Hunter, PI,” I informed the lady with the roster. She smiled at me and looked down at her thick list, scanning her ballpoint pen down the edge of the names until she came to mine.

“
All right, Dr. Hunter, if you’ll just sign here to prove you were in attendance today.” She reached under the table and pulled out a black binder full of papers. “Here’s all the study information,” flipping the binder open, she tugged at a piece of paper in the front jacket, “and here’s your itinerary for the next two days.”

C
rossing the lobby, I stopped to peer in the room Brooke had strolled into. I searched for her but didn’t see her. Continuing on to my room, I opened the heavy binder, flipping through its contents.

“…so, as I’m sure you will all agree, the initial results of these trials show reduced mortality from post-operative infection, and the drug yields very few risks associated with its use.” The man giving the presentation pushed the sleeve to his
navy blazer back from his wrist and glanced down at his watch. “Well, it looks as though it’s time to break for lunch. We’ve provided a catered lunch in the ballroom at the opposite end of the lobby. We’ll pick up with Dr. Turner discussing the methodology upon our return.”

I
rose, placing my binder in my seat to stretch. I followed the mass of other medical professionals out into the lobby and walked to the room next to mine. The doors were still closed and I could hear the speaker announcing lunch. Casually propping myself against the wall next to the large doors, I watched as people poured out from the room.

“Brooke,” I called
to her when she stepped into the lobby. She spun around and I made my way toward her. “You’re not going to make me eat alone, are you?”

The ends of her mouth curved up into a delicious grin, “Well, since I don’t want to eat by myself either
, no, you’re in luck.” She adjusted her purse on her shoulder. “Plus, it’s hard for me to decline lunch invitations.”

S
topping midstride, I glanced down at her. “Oh, is that so, now? So, I shouldn’t let the fact that you’re being seen in public with me go to my head then?” A soft smile shaped my lips as I looked into her placid blue eyes.

“Nope,” she
said, flipping her hair behind her shoulder.

I laughed
and nudged her arm with my elbow. “Okay then.”

Following the crowd across the lobby, I kept glancing at her out of the corner of my eye. She was tearing at her fingernails, her muscles looked tense, and she kept swallowing. Nervous. Being around me like this made her nervous.

We grabbed our plates and sat down at a table in the corner of the ornately-decorated ballroom. I scooted my chair under the table and unfolded the white cloth napkin on my lap. “So, you’re a party girl, aye?” I asked before I took a small bite of roast.

An offended look scowled across her lovely face. “No, why would you think that?”
she replied.

“Just a question. You said you went to bars
nearly every weekend to listen to bands, just curious.”

“Just because I actually have a life
outside
of work doesn’t make me a drunk,” she said.

“Well, now
, who said anything about being a drunk?” I took a sip of water and looked down at my watch.

“Speaking of drunks,
” she paused. Her fingers pulled at the hem of the napkin. “You still gonna let me teach you how to shake work off your mind for a few hours?” Her eyes met mine momentarily before darting back to her lap.

My initial thought was that I would
love
for her to “teach” me how to keep my mind off work, but probably not in the way she was thinking.

I shot a smug look at her
, a short, deep laugh escaping me as I said, “Well, I think I can work that in somehow…what about tomorrow? Just in case you get me drunk. That way I could sleep it off during the flight home?” I knew what I was doing; I had no intentions of getting drunk, I couldn’t stand the feeling of diminished self-control that accompanied too much alcohol, but I also wanted to make her wait. “Sound good to you?” I asked, watching her.

She nodded
, managing to avoid eye contact with me as she tilted her water glass up.

I knew better, but I was so intri
gued with her that I promptly brushed off the fear that I was becoming completely infatuated with her.